• Other Voices Dingle 2024

    December 3, 2024 - By 

    Driving into Dingle on Friday afternoon, the excitement of a musical weekend descended like the mist over the Conor Pass. The first day was the quietest, as a flutter of festival-goers wandered the streets, drifting from pub to pub in search of some late-afternoon musical respite. Fast-rising Fermanagh artist RÓIS (below)opened the Music Trail at An Díseart – a church turned temporary musical haven tucked away off the central road in Dingle – setting the tone for the trail with haunting dance fusion tunes that greeted early attendees. While acts like DUG, Oisín Leech and Khakikid christened Friday night’s Music…

  • Spiritualized Add Belfast Date to Pure Phase Tour

    November 29, 2024 - By 

    Spiritualized have added a Belfast date to their upcoming tour, performing their seminal 1995 album Pure Phase live in its entirety. The show will take place at The Telegraph Building on 19th March 2024, marking the band’s first Belfast appearance since 2019. It follows their previously announced date at the National Stadium in Dublin on 20th March 2024. Originally credited to “Spiritualized Electric Mainline,” Pure Phase remains a singular work within the band’s catalogue. Expanded personnel on the album included bassist Sean Cook and string arrangements by the Balanescu Quartet. At its beating heart is an unconventional mixing approach, described…

  • No Foolin’ Around: An Interview with Dillon O’Brien

    December 2, 2024 - By 

    It’s under a week until Foo Laa Fest at the Ulster Sports Club – probably the strongest top-to-bottom Irish lineup Belfast has seen this year, and one that rounds up the second year of Dillon O’Brien’s music promotion, Fooligan.  Taking place on Thursday 5th December, TTA cover stars M(h)aol, Silverbacks and 2024 NI Music Prize winners Problem Patterns top of the bill, with some of the most exciting rising stars round there too. For those who don’t know Fooligan, can you tell us a bit about what you’ve been up to over the last while, and what drives you as…

  • Irish Tracks of the Week – 29th November

    November 29, 2024 - By 

    Here’s this week’s very best in new Irish music. Dive into an election special by the inimitable Acid Granny (NB: fuck Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil too), the long-awaited new LP from Hatchet Field, plus fresh tracks from Annie-Dog, Adrian Crowley, Boyfrens and more Acid Granny – Radio Paddy’s 2024 General Election Special Radio Paddy’s 2024 General Election Special by Acid Granny Hatchet Field – Gather Them Home Gather Them Home by Hatchet Field Klark Bent – Extended Play Ninety Eight Extended Play Ninety Eight by Klark Bent Annie-Dog – The Feeling in My Fignertips Adrian Crowley – Measure of…

  • Video Premiere: AM Shanley – You Really Have Me

    November 28, 2024 - By 

    As long-time fans of his craft, we’re pleased to present the premiere of the video for ‘You Really Have Me’ by Northern Irish artist AM Shanley. The October single, a sublime, heart-stung gem, is taken from his highly anticipated upcoming album American Vanilla, and has already cemented itself as one of the Irish songs of the year. The video features Shanley alongside the legendary RichyBoy, the official dancer at 2019’s Vantastival Festival in Drogheda, no less. With his unparalleled energy and passion for movement, RichyBoy has said: “RichyBoy just wants to dance dance dance! As I always say, ‘If there’s…

  • Inishowen Played Back to Itself: Notes on Inverse Field Vol. 1 – Inishowen by Deathbed Convert

    November 26, 2024 - By 

    Inverse Field Vol.1 – Inishowen by Deathbed Convert In 1812 lookouts in the hills above the Township of Urris collapsed the path through the Mamore Gap, blocking it off to revenue collectors and founding what would later become known as the Poitín Republic. After increasing taxes on whiskey to fund its wars abroad, the British occupation turned to squeeze poitín distillers, levying fines that displaced whole communities as a form of collective punishment. When the people of Urris blocked the road up by St Eigne’s Well they mounted a resistance that would hold off attackers for three years and let…

  • In Photos: Quiet Lights 2024

    November 25, 2024 - By 

    Quiet Lights festival returned to Cork this year across various venues, featuring live performances from Lisa Hannigan, Elaine Howley, Rachael Lavelle, Morgana, The Tan Jackets and more. Photos by Erin Plaice